Birdman (2014) - Emma Stone, Ed Norton, Zach Galifinakis

[LegacyCosts]

Originally Posted by SilentDawn

My theater is getting Birdman this weekend!

Interstellar over taxi driver on your list? Hyperbole much? Oh and enjoy birdman. It's ****ing great

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by LegacyCosts

Interstellar over taxi driver on your list? Hyperbole much? Oh and enjoy birdman. It's ****ing great

Nope, not even Taxi Driver affected me as much as Interstellar.

In regards to Birdman, I thought I wouldn't get the film near me until Mid-December, but I'm happy to be wrong.

[moviedork]

I will for sure see it this weekend, seeing that it just came to my theater today. Hopefully tonight but no guarantees.

[shrex]

May possibly if time, do a doubleheader with this and Whiplash tomorrow morning.

[DanTheMan]

Originally Posted by shrex

May possibly if time, do a doubleheader with this and Whiplash tomorrow morning.

Damn, that would be a great double feature. Especially with the use of drums in both films.

A shame that Whiplash still isn't available in my area yet.

[THS]

Originally Posted by shrex

May possibly if time, do a doubleheader with this and Whiplash tomorrow morning.

My buddy and I are catching "Birdman" & "Whiplash" tomorrow back-to-back. I'm dying in anticipation.

[SilentDawn]

My thoughts:

Galvanizing, electric, self-important, and endlessly fascinating; Birdman is a film of exceptional highs and showy lows. Anchored by incredible performances and a wonderful sense of messy chaos driven by Emmanuel Lubezki's awe-inspiring cinematography, iñárritu's film is both obsessed with showcasing its technical elements as well as its emotional core.

And it kinda works.

Let's go though the positives first shall we?

First, Michael Keaton deserves an Academy Award. As great as the performances have been this year, nothing tops Keaton in a role that can only be defined as perfect. He's goddamned perfect in this film. Edward Norton almost reaches the same heights, and watching the two share scenes together produces much of the film's pulsing ferocity. Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Naomi Watts, and Andrea Riseborough also are absolutely excellent, and it all adds up to one of the finest casts of the year.

Emmanuel Lubezki's work as cinematographer is another highlight in an already iconic career. Whatever you thought of The Tree of Life and Gravity, It cannot be denied that their sense of cinematic movement and joyful dedication to the medium were utterly spectacular. While slightly less iconic here, Lubezki's one-take take on this messy and boisterous story is at its peak, mesmerizing and fantastically brilliant. At its lowest, It's pointless.

The score by Antonio Sanchez was off-kilter and crazily wild, and it helps a great deal in sending the audience into bursts of nervous anxiety and operatic sweep. Truly, the score in this film aids the story in an interesting and fascinating way.

Well, now the negatives. I didn't hate this movie. I didn't find it average. However, It was good. That's it. The emotional power that the film wanted to bring wasn't there. The additions of magic realism and artsy symbolism was awkward and forced at best. The ending forgot to close multiple character arcs. The whole film is screaming IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT that I just wanted it to calm down and think about its story for a bit. Deep inside this beast of a film, a subtle story is hidden. I just wish Iñárritu had the subtlety to tell it.

I think that's the worst offense of Birdman. The film is so caught up in the superb ensemble cast and the innovative technical elements that It forgot about the beautiful story at play. I felt very little connection to any of these characters, and when I did, It was solely because of the power of the performances. The film criticizes blockbusters for being nothing but sound and fury, and yet, the film basically is nothing but sound and fury.

Overall, Birdman is an enjoyable film due to its impressive and formidable ensemble cast and the impeccable technical elements. However, where's the soul? I couldn't find one, and the fact that Iñárritu believes there's one in here shows how little he knows about revealing emotion through visuals. I guess he's too busy shoehorning in jellyfish to notice.

3.5/5

[jlk5844]

Originally Posted by SilentDawn

My thoughts:

Good review, with valid criticisms. I think everyone is rather dazzled by the flair, and don't get me wrong, that aspect is great, the cinematography & acting together impressed the hell out of me and it has a great consistent (for awhile anyway) energy due to those elements working together (along with the music), the absence of any real cuts forces you to pay attention. However, that isn't enough to make the movie a masterpiece for me. I was left with a pleasant, fun experience, it was cool seeing something different in cinema, it was entertaining, but a little hollow. Still comes easily recommended from me. I'd consider picking up the Blu-ray.